He Barcelona defends his title this Sunday in the final of the Spain Supercup in Riyadh in a reissue of the dispute played a year ago against a Real Madrid who wants to make up for that defeat. The match will start at 4:00 p.m. (Argentine time), with television DSports.
“Last year was a final in which we were very good, in which we were superior. Let’s hope we can repeat it”said Barça captain Sergi Roberto at a press conference.
The Barça team suffered on Thursday to get their pass against a health which once again showed Barça’s difficulties in closing a match that they largely dominated.
Control of the ball is the key for Barça to try to repeat the victory over Real Madrid, whom they beat 3-1 in January 2023 in the Saudi capital.
“We have to try to play a great game, impose our personality, our way of playing and dominate the ball,” said Xavi at the Al-Awwal stadium, where the final will be held.
The Barça coach will not be able to count on the Brazilian winger Raphinha for the match, who suffered a muscle injury in the match against Osasuna.
On the other hand, Xavi once again has Pedri at his disposal, who had a few minutes against the Navarrese team praised by the Barça coach.
“With Pedri everything becomes clear,” he said after that match, before specifying this Saturday that “he is 100%.”
Pedri, who received the medical discharge that same Thursday from the muscle injury he suffered on December 19, could enter the Barça eleven on Sunday.
Barça is confident that, like last year, repeating its victory in the final will serve to relaunch its campaign.
But the goal looks complicated against a Real Madrid team that beat Atlético 5-3 on Wednesday at the Al-Awwal stadium, which will also host Sunday’s clash.
The white team ended up imposing its best physique in a demanding match that was decided in extra time.
“We are fine, there is calm in the team, the players have recovered or will recover until tomorrow’s game,” Ancelotti said this Saturday.
Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde ended the game injured, but on Friday they were with their teammates in team training at the Al-Nassr facilities, Cristiano Ronaldo’s team.
Only Dani Carvajal worked out in the gym, but “he’s fine, he needed one more day of rest, he’s not like the young players, but he can play without problems,” said Ancelotti.
The match is presented as revenge for Real Madrid after the poor image offered a year ago in the defeat against Barcelona.
Winning would be “a strong blow, you start by winning the first title of the season,” captain Nacho Fernández recalled this Saturday.
Without the injured Thibaut Courtois, the doubt centers on the goal after Kepa’s irregular performance against Atlético.
Ancelotti, who always remains cryptic on this issue, could choose to make way for Lunin.
“I feel like I can’t choose a starter and a replacement,” he said this Saturday.
The match is also the opportunity for the Italian coach to equal Zinedine Zidane as the club’s second most successful coach with 11 trophies.
The Italian won four titles in his first stage as Merengue coach (2013-2015), to which he has added another six since his return in 2021 to remain just one title behind Zidane.
A new victory on Sunday would bring him level with the Frenchman, leaving him only ahead of Miguel Muñoz, who won 14 titles with Real Madrid.
– Probable formations
Real Madrid: Kepa – Carvajal, Nacho, Rüdiger, Mendy – Tchuaméni, Kroos, Valverde, Bellingham – Vinicius, Rodrygo. Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (ITA)
Barcelona: Iñaki Peña – Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde – Frenkie de Jong, Sergi Roberto, Gündogan, Pedri – Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski. Coach: Xavi Hernandez.
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera
2024-01-14 15:31:47
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